# 12 Steps Guide vs The Orchard Alumni

The clearest difference is rating: 12 Steps Guide at 4.8 against The Orchard Alumni's 3.9. 12 Steps Guide also leads on ratings volume (3.3K vs 7). The Orchard Alumni's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 12 Steps Guide sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. The Orchard Alumni asks for nothing beyond the download.

12 Steps Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 12 Steps Guide has 3.3K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two.

12 Steps Guide ships an update every 3 months, The Orchard Alumni every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 12 Steps Guide | The Orchard Alumni |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/12-steps-guide/id1238097883/reviews)** | [3.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-orchard-alumni/id1569847345/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 92.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 35 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Tushar Bhagat](https://appshunter.io/developer/901932809) | [The Orchard on the Brazos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1569847347) |

## What reviewers say

### 12 Steps Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/12-steps-guide/id1238097883)

This app provides a comprehensive guide to the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, featuring audiobooks of key recovery tapes and literature. It includes prayers, readings, a sobriety calculator, and the complete Big Book text for a structured recovery journey.

**Highlights:** 12-step program guide, Audiobooks of recovery tapes, Complete Big Book text, Sobriety calculator, Included prayers and readings, AA literature

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Donate | $2.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $4.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great recovery resource
- 🚀 Convenient and easy to use
- 💡 Comprehensive AA literature in one place
- 🙏 Helpful prayers and daily reflections

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Ads still present after paid upgrade
- 🤔 Lack of dark mode option
- 💤 Difficulty retaining information from reading

**Reported bugs**

- Daily reflections page not working
- App crashes on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add sobriety tracker
- Include 12 & 12 book content
- Improve bookmarking and page saving


### The Orchard Alumni

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-orchard-alumni/id1569847345)

This app fosters a supportive community for individuals in recovery. Users can share updates, ask questions, and connect with peers and coaches. It offers daily inspirations, recovery content, and virtual events to aid in the recovery journey.

**Highlights:** Real-time posts for alumni connection, Daily inspiration content, Explore recovery videos, podcasts, articles, Discussions on recovery topics, Join virtual events, User-controlled privacy settings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 12 Steps Guide free?

12 Steps Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Orchard Alumni free?

The Orchard Alumni is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 12 Steps Guide or The Orchard Alumni?

12 Steps Guide is rated higher. 12 Steps Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while The Orchard Alumni averages 3.9 from 7 ratings.

### Do 12 Steps Guide or The Orchard Alumni have ads?

Neither 12 Steps Guide nor The Orchard Alumni shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 12 Steps Guide or The Orchard Alumni?

12 Steps Guide ships an update every 3 months, and The Orchard Alumni every 5 months. Most recently, 12 Steps Guide was updated on November 6, 2026 and The Orchard Alumni on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*